Sunday 10 February 2013

Jeremy Lepisto at the National College of Art and Design



The Glass Society of Ireland was delighted to attend Jeremy Lepisto’s talk at the National College of Art and Design on Tuesday. He is very open about his work both conceptually and technically which made for a fascinating talk.


Lepisto grew up in the glass capital of America, Toledo, Ohio. This industrial setting has made a huge impact on his aesthetic. Looking at his body of work you can see hard architectural lines as well as iconic structure such as his water towers. These visual influences are only one part of the narrative which resonates from his childhood into his present day life.

The work ethic in the family was strong and Lepisto himself worked from an early age. He spoke fondly of his family and specially his Grandfather ‘Pops’. Lepisto tells of how his Grandfather took great pride in his work and believed “a firm foundation is the key to a successful structure”. This sentiment has left its mark and this can be seen not only in the care and quality of the art works Lepisto produces, but also in the images he showed of his immaculate workspaces.

Lepisto describes his work as self portraits, each one reflecting his current situation and how it relates to his present environment. In doing this he creates a body of work which encompasses both the banality and the complexity of life simultaneously.
This work, inspired by a sense of place and strong relationship with the visual experiences available in the United States, came up against a challenge when Lepisto and his wife made the decision to move to Australia. Away from his support network and the landscapes which appear as such an integral part of his early work Lepisto had to tackle his art from new angles.


The most recent series, the container series, looks at transition and how life in one location can be packaged and moved another location. The lack of imagery in this series stems from a concern about appropriation of Australian vernacular architecture. This landscape, not yet ingrained in Lepisto sense of self, perhaps in time will begin to creep into new work. The auto biographical element in the work is strong and Lepisto is very open about the events which inspired the works.




 In an earlier series building blocks the pieces can be moved to form double meanings. In one position the images build from the edges into a cityscape, arranged in their second configuration to buildings start at the edges of the work and fade into a blank space in the centre. Lepisto explained how this series was made in a period where he and his wife where living in different locations. He drew our attention to the position of two small post boxes in the imagery and the piece changed from a clever puzzle to an eloquent expression of the pain of being apart and the joys of being reunited.

Lepisto’s practice is visually very beautiful and would be pleasing as studies of environment alone. However, it is the ability to produce subtle meanings in the works which push them to a new level of significance.







For More Info on Jeremy's work click HERE







by Fiona Byrne

Friday 1 February 2013

Charlene McFarland: Eedi & Éabha



Eedi & Éabha is a series of investigative events taking place in Tallinn, Estonia in February 2013. The project develops a partnership between Ireland and Estonia through exhibition, panel discussion and workshop.

A solo exhibition of the work of Northern Irish sculptural artist Charlene McFarland at GaleriiPINK will be the principal event of Eedi & Éabha. Heavily influenced by motor engineering, her pieces combine authentic recycled car components with blown glass and metal, and are imbued with a rhythmical energy informed by her experiences in car restoration workshops and showrooms. The work possesses a sense of animated vigour, reinforced by the fact that the changeable objects of each work are connected by magnets. This exhibition is curated by Emer Lynch.

The Estonian Academy of Arts will also host a panel discussion considering the international presentation of European applied art and the future of the field for emerging artists. Speakers for this event include curator Emer Lynch (IE), art critic Heili Sõrmus (EE), educator/ glass artist Tiina Sarapu (EE), marketing consultant Heidi Ruiso (EE) and textile artist/ designer Monika Järg (EE). This event is free and presentations will be in English.

The title Eedi & Éabha is derived from the names of the participating countries: Eesti & Éire. Taking inspiration from Charlene McFarland’s custom of naming her works after characters related to her research, Eedi & Éabha are identities embodying the personality of each country. Teamed together, the pair upholds an awareness of language, national identity and the building of European relationships.


Exhibition:
31st January – 25th February | Opening: 30th January at 6pm
GaleriiPINK, Telliskivi 22, 10611 Tallinn
Opening hours: Wed – Sun: 11am – 6pm

Discussion:
1st February 2013 at 4pm
Estonian Academy of Art, Estonia pst 7, room 245

Workshop by Charlene McFarland and Emer Lynch: Collection/ ConstructionThursday 31st January & Monday 4th February 2013
Estonian Academy of Arts, available to students of the Academy




Eedi & Éabha is supported by Culture Ireland as part of Ireland’s EU Presidency Culture Programme 2013.
www.facebook.com/Eedi.Eabha
www.facebook.com/GaleriiPINK